Mechanism for controlling the press rolls or like elements of edgers



July 8, 1930.A R. E. LANGILL ET AL MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLIG THE PRESSROLLS OR LIKE ELEMENTS OF EDGERS v 2 shuts-snee: 1

vFiled Aug. 10, 1925 July 8, 1930. R. la. LANGILL Er AL 1,769,927

MECHANISM FOR GONTROLLING THE PRESS ROLLS oR LIKE ELEMENTS 0F EDGBRSFiled Aug. 10, 1925 2 Shoots-Shut 2 Patented July 8, 1930 unirse STATES*PATENT OFFICE" ROSS E. LANGILL AND WILLIAM B. GRUETER, OF MENOMINEE,MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORS T0 THE PRESCOTT COMPANY, 0F MENOMINEE, MICHIGAN, ACORPORATION 0F MICHIGAN l i MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING THE PRESS ROLLS ORLIKE ELEMENTS OF EDGERS Application filed August 10, 1925.y Serial No.49,171.A

This invention relates to improvements in mechanism for controlling thepress rolls or like elements of edgers.

In sawing up a log into boards of the desired thickness, the log isdogged on a sawmill log carriage and about one-third thereof sawed off.Thelog is then given a quarter p turn on the carriage and a like amountof the log sawed off to form more boards. The sawing of the log iscontinued in this manner until it is completely sawed up into boards.The edges of many of these boards are part of what was formerly theouter surface of the log, and are rough and provided with some of thebark. These boards are, therefore, run through a machine known as anedger which removes the rough edges and bark and cuts the boards to thevarious widths desired. These edgers comprise, generally, a tableprovided with live rolls, a number of circular saws extending above andarranged between and transversely of the live rolls, means for shiftingthe saws transversely of the table, press rolls pivotally supported overthe live rolls and arranged in front of and back of the saws,`andsuitable means such as a fluid-pressure cylinder and connections betweenthe cylinder and press rolls for raising the latter into position toreceive the lumber and to permit the same to drop into inoperativeposition after the lumber has passed e from beneath the back or rearpress roll, these press rolls acting to hold the lumber down upon thelive rolls and in proper operaf tive position with respect to the sawsas the lumber is fed through the latter by the live rolls. In edgersconstructed heretofore, the various types of connections to the powermeans for raising the press rolls to operative position to receive thelumber, have been such that the press rolls are fixed for movementtogether and cannot move into either their respective operative orinoperative positions independently'o'f a like movement of the other.

i In these edgers, therefore, the front press roll still remains inraised position and is not permitted to drop after the lumber has passedfrom beneath the same for the reason that the rear press roll is stillengaging the lumber and. held raised position thereby, and

cause of the connections between the press roll yokes andthe'flu'd-pressure cylinder. When the end of the lumber passes frombeneath the front press roll and reaches the saws, there is a tendencyforl the' latter to break away a portion of the lumber at this end, inwhich case the piece of wood or lug broken oil' is violently thrown orhurled back toward the operator through the opening between the Yliverolls and the front press roll which is still held in raised position onaccount of its interconnection with the rear press roll, the speed ofthe lug approximating the peripheral velocity of the saws. Insomevinstances these pieces of wood or lugs have been thrown backward bythe saw and have severely Iinjured or killed the operators. One of theobjects of the present invention, therefore, is vto provide improvedmechanism for 'controlling the press rolls or like elements of edgerswhereby the front press roll is permitted to drop to inopverativeposition while the rear press roll is still engaging the lumber and isheld in raised or operative position thereby, the front press roll andthe supporting means or yoke therefor thus effectively closing theopening in the front of the machineubefore the uncut end of the lumberpasses, through the saws and thereby preventing injury and possibledeath `to the operator by the4 pieces ofwood or lugsv which the sawstend to break off from this end of the lumberv and hurl backward towardthe operator ata high velocity.

Another obj ectis to provide mechanism for cont-rolling the press rollsof edgers whereby movement of the front press roll into inoperativeposition is permitted, as soon vas the same is cleared by the lumberbeing fed through the machine vand while the rear press roll is stillengaging the lumber and is held in raised or operative position thereby,thus permittinginsertion between the live rolls and front ress roll of apiece of lumber having a thicllgness less than that of the precedingpiece of lumber which is still passing through the machine and is stillbetween the live rolls and rear press roll, thereby permitting thefeeding of pieces of lumber butt to buttf desired. Y j

Another object is to provide the press rolls ADI of an edger withmechanism for controlling the same which is simple in construction,efficient, and which may be manufactured at a comparatively small cost.

Other objectsand advantages will hereinafter appear. i i v For thepurpose of illustrating the invention an embodiment thereof is shown inthe drawings, inlwh'ich: f

#Figure 1 .is aside elevation, partly in `section, showing the front andrear press rolls in their v tions;`

Fig. 2 is a plan View.;A i Fig. 3 is a view similar to `Fig.'1,'showingeachof the pressrolls engaged'by `agpiece .of lumber and inAtheirrespective ,raisedor op .erative positions; v Y

Fig..4is .a v iewsimilarto Fig. I1, .showing the front 1.press rollinits rest .orinoperative .position .to close the `openingin itle '.frentvof the machine, andthe rear pressroll stillen- .gaged 1.by .the lumberand heldin its raised or.operative .position thereby; ,and

Fig. 5 gisanenlarged sectionon'iline 5-5 .0f Fig.12. .Y :Side frame.members V1 and.2 are secured-.to va suitable table 3 bymeans of bolts 4and areconnected by .means cfa cross member 5 arrangedtransversely .oflmembers 1 `and `2 .connected .tothe 1latter-by any suitable lmeans such1 as' bolts -6 extendingethrough members `il and 2 and inte .the Iends.of .meer ber ,5. gLiye rolls Tareiarranged 4as shown, androtatablymounted on .shaft-s 18 usecured between .members .1.'and,2, circularsaws 9 being supported and driven in .theusualmane ner ,and arrangedfbetween thelive .rolls yand extending above ethe'` latter. A yoke 10comprises Aa sleeve llrlooselymounted on a shaft 12 `extending.transversely .of members 'f1 and 2 1and having itsends ixedin. the.upper front .cornensfthereo an upwardly extending arm 13fixedtosleevell, anddownwardlyextend ing spaced arms .14 also fixed to sleevey11 .and supporting at their lower endsashaft 15 upon wich .the`f-ront'press roll l16 fis rotatably mounted in ,any suitable manneigtheyoke 10 helieprerided with .a p1-.ate .7 which. may be @est .integrallyv.t1lerewth .and which [extends between arms' 14 .andfnomsleeve .l1-.1.0within y leShQrt distance ofrolllhV 'Referring more particularlytoFigs..3 and 4, ,it .will be .seen that .whenpthe `front l,press ,roll.has dropped to its :restpr inoperative.pnsition after the uncutendopfthe .pieceyof lumber haspa.ssed from ,beneath the -sama-.that jplate1.7- and rell 16 eonipgletely .close the epenngin the front @fthe maehne.before ...the wasnt end ef .the piece. ef lumber eeeehee eleve thv-.e

Preventing any .-Pieees ,of weed er .lugs from. beleg ,hurled haekwrard.by .thesans thrmigh thefirent-9penngi1.the .readline audtaward theoperator; A similar yoke 'rliproyi'ded will einander feeteefieeferli.and

respective inoperative or restposiT Y Athe same tothe press roll yokes10 and 18 whereby the press rolls may be raised together to theirArespective operative positions to receive the'lumber and the front pressroll permitted .to-drop vby its own weight into rest or inoperativeposition, as shown in Fig. 4, ;whil e,.t he-rear pressroll is stillengaging the lumber ,and isheld in raised oroperative position thereby,lwill now be described, referring' more particularly to Figs. .1 and 5..Cylinders 24 and .25 which may be cast 1n one piece, are arrangedasshown andlsecured in Aany suitableV manner to framemember 1 Vand cross`member 5 .and provided respectively with inlet-passages 26..,and27 andexhaust .passages 28 and 29, which latter .passages .epen Lintoythesecylinders at points somewhat iremoved from the .adjacent ends thereoffor .the purpose Vhereiiiafter explained. A pis- ItonV 30 islooselyjfitte'd 1in cylinder 25 `and provided with .a piston rod 31.extend-ing vloosely through aflug 321cast integrally. with :the crosshead 33, a split socketmember 34 being y,fitted uponthe .end of pistonYrod A31 .and fixedtheretoby -fmeans of a clamping bolt 35 extendingthrough lugs 36 on opposite .split portions of member 34. A pin37Vextends .through the .outer end off member 34 and through--Lshapedpieces 38-whichare connected by means of rods 39 t-o .similar L- shapedpieces 40 pivotally Vconnected by means .oa pin .411 -to .the upperendofarm 19 yof the rear press roll yoke 18. Acoil spring 42 ,i.s,arranged .upon `piston rod 3l between lng32 of ,cross .head 33 andsocket member Apiston .43 is ,loosely fitted fin cylinder 24andprovicled with a piston rod 44 fixed to -cross 'head 33 which, inturn, is connected Abymeans of links 45 Iand pins .46 and 47 .to the.upperend of -arm 13 ofthe front press roll l'yoke 10. The .respectivedownwardly .extending spaced arms'14 .and 20 .of the press roll .yokes-1maylbe 'provided with `laterally extending lugs 4,8 Iarranged toengage .suitalble cushion members .such as rubber l pieces 49 insertedinto.inwardlyextending recessed lugs .50 `which .may be castAintegrally. with frame members 1 and 2, when the press yrolls drop Atotheir4 rest or inoperativepositions. A gvalvefchest .51 issecuredrtooneend of the cylinders and provided with `an inlet opening `5 2andanexhaustopening 53 and a passage `54`,corn municating with inlet.passage 5,2and .having its yends-arranged. to Abe closed byitllhead v55andthe,central portion 56 .of a' {pist-on naive A5( .when the latter ,isin its lowermost position, as shown in Fig. 5, the valve being providedwith a suitable stem 58 pivotally connected at 59 to an actuating lever60 having a weight 61 at one end thereof and pivotally mounted by meansof a pin 62 to lugs 63 which may be cast integrally with cylinder 25.The valve 57 is provided with annular recesses 64 and 65 whichcommunicate with similar recesses 66 and 67, respectively, in the valvechest, these latter recesses communicating with the respective inletpassages y26 and 27 of the cylinders. The valve 57 is hollow andprovided with openings 68 extending through the heads 55 and 69 thereof,an opening 70 in the valve being arranged to communicate with the eX-haust passages 28 and 29 of the cylinders to connect the latter toexhaust opening 53 when the valve is in its lowermost position, as'shownin Fig. 5.

Theoperation of the improved mechanism for controlling the press rollswill now beA explained, assuming that the latter are in their respectiverest or inoperative positions, as shown in Fig. 1, and valve 57 held inits lowermcst position by weight 61 on lever 60 whereby cylinders 24 and25 are connected with exhaust 'opening 53. When the piece of lumber lisin proper position and ready for movement through the machine, theoperator presses down upon lever 60 to raise valve 57 against the actionof weight 61, thereby closing exhaust passages 28 and 29 of thecylinders by means of head 69 of the valve and connecting the respectiveinlet passages 26 and 27 of the cylinders with inlet opening 52 throughpassage 54 and annular recesses 64, 65, 66 and 67. Pistons 30 and 43will thenmove to the right and raise press rolls 16 and 23 to theirrespective operative positions, as shown in Fig. 3, to receive thelumber. 7When the'piece of lumber is between live rolls 7 and frontpress roll 16, the operator releases lever 60 so that valve 57 drops toits lowermost position, as shown in Fig. 5, under. the action o-f weight61, in which position of the valve the cylinders are shut off from thefluid pressure supply and connected with the outlet or exhaust opening53. The

1'. rear press roll 23 will then drop a certain amount by its Vownweight and compress spring 42 between member 34 .fixed to the end vofpiston rod 31 and lug 32 of cross head 33 which kis held againstmovement to the left 1 reasonA of its connection with the front pressroll yoke 10. TvVhenAthe piece of lumber engages press roll 23, thelatter will be swung upwardly to the position thereof shown in Fig. 3and act with the front press roll 16 to hold the lumberk down upon liverolls`7. When the piece of lumber passes from beneath front press roll16, as shown in Fig. 4, the latter will instantly drop by its own weightto rest or inoperative position, during which movement 'of the frontpressroll and the parts associated therewith, lug 32 forming part ofcross head 33 will slide along piston rod 31 and permit spring 42 toexpand. Exhaust passage 29 of cylinder 24 communicates with the latterat a point slightly removed from the end thereof so that when piston 43covers exhaust passage 29, the air thereby7 confined between the end ofthe cylinder and the piston provides a cushion to let front press roll16 down easily into its rest position and to prevent sudden impact oflugs 48 with the rubber pieces 49. From the foregoing it will be seenthat the front opening in the machine is closed by press roll r16 andplate 17 the instant the uncut end of the lumber passes from beneaththis press roll and before it passes through saws 9, thus preventing thecatapulting of pieces of wood or lugs byv the saws backward through thefront opening in the machine and toward the operator. When the piece oflumber passes from beneath rear press roll 23.y the latter will be freeto drop by its own weight to rest or inoperative position, as shown inFig. 1, piston 30 being thereby movedfto the position thereof shown inFig. 5, and spring 42 compressed between lug 32 of cross head 33 an dmember 34 secured to the end of piston rod 31, the spring thereby actingas a cushion to break the'fall of the rear press roll. The exhaustpassage 28 of cylinder 25 also opens into the latter at a point removedfrom the end thereof to provide an air cushion when piston 30 coversthis passage, yoke 18 and press roll 23 carried thereby finally comingto rest against the rubber cushion members 49.

From the foregoing it will be seen that an improved mechanism has beenpro-vided for controlling the press rolls of Vedgers and which permitsmovement `of the front press roll into its rest'or inoperative positionto close the opening in the front of the machine at the instant at whichthe piece of lumber passes from beneath this roll and before the samepasses through the saw and from benea-th the rear press roll, therebypreventing the hurling of pieces of wood or lugs back through the frontopening in the machine and toward the operator and permitting thefeeding of pieces of lumber of varying'thickness butt to butt throughthe machine if desired.

The mechanism shown in the drawings and described above represents oneembodiment of the invention, but of course various changesin the size,shape and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing fromthe spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination with asupporting table for lumber and a saw associated therewithand arrangedto cut said lumber'as the same is moved-with respect to said table, of aplural- Huid-pressure cylinders for admitting andV exhausting iiuidunder pressure to and from the latter, oneV of said members beingadapted to move into inoperative position while the other of saidmembers is in operative position and upon movement of said means to eX-haust the fluid from. said cylinders. Y

42. In a machine yof the character described,

a supportingtable for lumber, a saw associated therewith and ,arrangedto out said lumber as the same is moved with respect-to said table, aplurality of membersy pivotally mounted for movement toward and awayfrom said table and arranged when in operative position to engage thelumber and to hold the same in proper position with respect to said saw,a fluid-pressure .cylinder for effecting movement of one 4of saidmembersto operative'position, means connecting said member to saidfluid-pressure cylinder,

a second lfluid-pressure cylinder for effecting movement- ,of the otherofV said members to operative position, means connecting saidlast-mentionedmember to said second fluidpressure cylinder, and meansfor admitting andexhausting fluid under pressure to and from saidcylinders,`said first and secondmentioned connecting means being sorelated and arranged as to move together in eifecting movement ofsaidniembers to their respective operative positions andV to permitmovement of said second-mentioned member to inoperative position whilesaid first-mentioned member is in operative-position and upon exhaustofthe fluid from said cylinders. t v Y 3. In a machine ofthecharacterdescribed, a supporting table for lumber, a saw associated therewith`and arranged to kcutlsaid lumber as the same is moved with respect .tosaid table, a pluralityof members pivotally mounted for movement towardand away from said tableand 1arranged when in operat-ive position toengage the lumber and to hold the-same 1in proper position withrespectto said-saw, a lfluid-.pressure cylinder providedwithapiston-rodand a crosshead fixed thereto, means. connecting one of,Y saidmembers to saidfluid-vpressure cylinder for movement into operativeposition by thev f latter upon admission to the same of fluid underpressure, a ysecond fluid-pressure cylinder Ahaving a piston rodextending loosely through ,said cresshead ,and connected to the other efslidmembers whereby the latter is meres vvto .erstatve mation 11111011admission of fluid under pressure to said second fluidpressure cylinder,said first-mentioned member being adapted for movement into inoperativeposition upon exhaust of the fluid from said first-mentionedfluid-pressure cylinder and while said second-mentioned member is inoperative position, and means for admitting and exhausting fluid underpressure to and from said cylinders. Y

4. i Ina machine of the character described, a supporting table forlumber, a saw associated therewith and arranged to cut said lumber 4asthe same is moved with respect to said table, a plurality of memberspivotally mounted for movement toward and away from said table andarranged when in operative position to engage the lumber and to Vholdthe same in proper position with respect to said saw, a fluid-pressurecylinder provided with a piston rod and a crosshead fixedthereto, meansconnecting-one of said members to said huid-pressure cylinder formovement into operative position by the latter upon vadmission to thesame of fluid under pressure, a second fluid-pressure cylinder having apiston rod yextending loosely through said crosshead and connected tothe other of said'members whereby the latter is moved tooperativeposition upon admission of fluid under pressure to said secondfluidpressure cylinder, a spring arranged yupon said second-mentionedpiston rod and adapted for coaction with said crosshead to provide acushion for said second-mentioned member upon movement thereof 'intoinoperative position, said first-mentioned member being adapted formovement into inoperative position upon exhaust ofthe Huid from saidfirstmentioned iuid-pressure cylinder and while said second-mentionedmember is in operative position, and means for admitting and exhaustingfluid under pressure to and from said cylinders.

5. An edger having a front press roll, a rear press roll, power meansfor lifting said rolls and a one-way connection between said rollsrestraining lowering of the rear press roll as long as the front pressroll is elevated but permitting the front press roll to lowerindependently ofthe rear press roll.

6. -An edger comprisinga supporting table for the lumber having theusual live rolls and the `usual press rolls swingably-mounted incooperable relation with respect to the live rolls, mechanism forswinging press rolls including shiftable members, a cross head fixed toone of said members and connected to one of the press rolls, said crosshead having a sliding connection with the other shiftable member, anabutment on the last mentioned shiftable member-for limiting themovement of the cross head thereon in one direction and means forshifting said members to cause the press yrolls to be swung to aposition to have operative engagement with the lumber.

7. An edger having a front press roll, a rear press roll, power meansfor lifting said rolls, motion transmission mechanism between said powermeans and said front and rear press rolls, and means interconnecting andcoordinating the action of said front and rear press rolls to restrainlowering of the rear press roll as long as the front press roll iselevated but permitting the front press roll to lower independently ofthe rear press roll.

8. An edger having a front press roll, a rear press roll, a separatemotor unit for each roll, a separate motion transmission train betweeneach motor unit and its roll, and a connection between said motiontransmission tra-ins acting to restrain lowering of the rear press rollas long as the front press roll is elevated but permitting the frontpress roll to lower independently of the rear press roll.

In witness whereof we hereto ax our signatures.

WILLIAM B. GRUETER. ROSS E. LANGILL.

